Who would be in control of this 'consolidated' police force? Who would negotiate contracts?

Sorry....I still say state police all the way! I have not heard a negative or reasonable reason on why not!

The State Police are not a City police force-their jurisdiction is the entire State roadways. The answer is not turning it over to a huge State authority. The answer is a new Mayor that understands gang and police issues. Why should the people in this town suffer because Mayor Stratton refuses to clean out his Department? Fire the bad apples. Stop pushing a County or State solution.

The similarities to the City Schools are too obvious. When you refuse to lead, when you refuse to clean out bad apples, you get these management problems. The answer is not throwing up your hands and turning it over to the State.

definitely NO state police force.....hear how it sounds when you say it out loud to yourself or with others....

we now have a state police force=we now have a police state

if P then Q

homeland security?

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Study: Take slow path to joint policing
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    A new law and a slow and steady approach could allow the city to consolidate its police department with the nearby towns, according to a research team at Columbia University.
    A group of eight graduate students in a management innovations class studied the issue all summer with four professors and determined that it could be done — but stopped short of calculating the cost.
    The city is now applying for a grant that would allow the university to take that step.
    The research study presents the benefits and problems with seven ways of changing the police department, ranging from full county-wide consolidation to the consolidation of only a few targeted functions.
    University professor Bill Eimicke said the class hoped that a neutral, wide-ranging approach would convince public officials to truly consider the options rather than immediately refusing to change anything.
    “A number of times that’s where it goes, and that’s where it stops,” Eimicke said. “I think the hope was this would spur more of an open discussion, where people would consider something other than the status quo.”
    The researchers recommended that Mayor Brian U. Stratton advocate for an incremental approach, in which the consolidation would begin with just two police departments and slowly expand as other municipalities decide to join in.
    “With sufficient funding and expert program management, an incremental approach is most likely to yield a successful outcome,” the researchers wrote in their study.
    They noted that the only flaws with that were political: The slow time frame could help opponents by giving them “increased opportunity to block key features of consolidation program.”
    But, they said, it would also give Stratton more time to win over the public. .....................>>>>..................>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01201&AppName=1

PATRIOT ACT-HOMELAND SECURITY-GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION AND CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 2009-CONSOLIDATION=

POLICE CZAR......

oooohhhh the web we weave with half truths........

Quoted Text

http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....008&ViewMode=GIF

Quoted Text

[PDF] THE NEW N.Y. GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION AND CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT ACT:File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
GOVERNMENT. REORGANIZATION AND. CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT. ACT: A SUMMARY OF THE. PROCESS FOR CONSOLIDATION. AND DISSOLUTION. June 2009 ...
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/.../ConsolidationDissolutionProcedures-summary.pdf - Similar

check this out----REMS proud to serve Rotterdam and Princetown......

other than that what is the CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT ACT, portion of the bill......

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

I AM NOT FOR 'CONSOLIDATING' THE POLICE AT ALL. The government that governs best governs the closest to the people. Let Stratton and his commissioner try to manage the problem like any other executive has to, in any government. If they DID consolidate, the cost savings would be gone in an instant since that would entail new buildings, new cars, new equipment and the forming of a new organization. Any idea of savings will quickly diminish as the wont of government is to build a bigger, more entrenched bureaucracy than already exists. even the idea that we are to save money with some centralized dispatch is specious since a new command bunker will need to be built to modern regulatory standards which would make an ICBM silo pale. Mark my words.

The 'feud' that developed this week was a carefully organized stunt for Savage and Stratton to play to their bases in their respective districts. It was scripted in such as way as to make Speilberg or Preminger envious. Each of them looked oh so heroic as they "fought" like Bravehearts on the public stage to maintain careful public order and safety in their fiefdoms!

So, NO, it won't happen. It is all show. Stratton needs to look like he is William Wallace being drawn and quartered on the stage, Savage looks like Joan de Arc and they both come out to their voters as the greatest thing since sliced bead. Hoooooray! Encore!!!

Joe Suhrada's biggest supporter on this forum Grahmbonnet, is against consolidation of the police force.  I'm curious if GB agrees with Joe's position of a centralized countywide assessor’s office?  Is Joe Suhrada playing politics?  He's for consolidation of the Assessor's office when he knows many residents in Rotterdam are upset with the current assessor and their reassessments.  But he's against the consolidation of the police force.  And coincidentally he's running for the town board seat currently held by Mertz, who was not too chummy with the RPD.  

Government that governs best govern closest to the people. >  I guess not in all cases.

How can you compare the two? Why would you want your police working Hamilton Hill? Why would you not want to save a million on assessing and tax processing and getting it all done efficiently? Apples and oranges dear boy. Apples and oranges. Do you wear a blindfold for every decision you make?

This issue is going nowhere. Nobody but Son of Sam and Quinn in Glenville supports this nonsense. Son of Sam needs to reform his SPD and stop proposing distractions.

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

How can you compare the two? Why would you want your police working Hamilton Hill? Why would you not want to save a million on assessing and tax processing and getting it all done efficiently? Apples and oranges dear boy. Apples and oranges. Do you wear a blindfold for every decision you make?

Hmmmmm...Why would I want my police working in Hamilton Hill?  I guess I would have to ask, why would I want the U.S. military fighting terrorist in Afghanistan?  BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEMS ORIGINATE!  I can think of more pressing crimes that MY $80K a year police officers can combat, other than sitting parked and camouflaged in a cemetery issuing speeding tickets.

Apples to apples lad.  The number of crimes committed isn't going to change, the number of officers needed aren't going to change, just a more effective centralized dispatch would be the difference.  But I understand GB, your political interest are to protect the highest paid police department in the County.  There's a half a million dollars in chief salaries alone in a county of 160K.  I couldn't find the Sheriff's salary, so that's not figured in.  Oh yeah, and the NYS police barracks on Rt. 7, who ever heads that isn't figured in either.  Oh...I almost forgot, the police chief for the village of Scotia isn't figured in.  And now Metroplex is building a Sheriff's sub station for Duansburg.  So it's probably more that 1/2 million dollars.

Schenectady County is small enough where towny police should be converted into precincts to a county central dispatch.  


Lewis Moskowitz Police Chief
$92,381.00 (Annual) Niskayuna, Schenectady County

Michael Ranalli Police Chief
$98,545.81 (Annual) Glenville, Schenectady Count

James Hamilton Police
$117,804.37 (Annual) Rotterdam, Schenectady County

Mark R. Chaires as Chief of Police in Schenectady
$115,000 annually.  

Rotterdam's chief makes more than schenectady's? WOW!  

gumba gangstas???? Hatfields and McCoys????

It comes from the top down...

those who control the $$ control the masses
those who control the guns(and now knives) control the masses

Consolidation/Homeland Security/Patriot Act.....

which has worked better?--homeland security or patriot act.....if we aren't going to tattle then it will be forced....pay attention....

Quoted Text

Merging public safety units the only solution

    The discussion concerning “regionalized” public safety is like water in the sand [Dec. 30 Gazette]. [The] police unions lobby against it, politicians see their patronage base eroding and the people buy into the scare tactics.
    It is inevitable that public safety will be regionalized, out of economic necessity. If the erosion of pension systems does not do it, a revolt of the taxpayer will. It is a matter of time.
    In Schenectady County, the city of Schenectady is viewed as an administrative cesspool by surrounding communities — a view not without merit. The surrounding municipalities want to maintain their safe communities at a cost. The cost goes beyond dollars, it is the “ghettoization” of an inner city.
    The social cost and potential for disruption of the nation are great — not to mention the moral implications. [Former Mayor] Rudy Giuliani cleaned up New York City by sending the criminals upstate and to New Jersey. Many of Schenectady’s crime problems stem from Rudy’s policies.
    The self-serving efforts of the public safety lobby will lead to their destruction and the implementation of a national (regional) police force. Conservatives can babble on about President Obama and his “brownshirts,” but if this becomes a reality we can thank the greedy public safety unions.
    It is time for police and firemen to think beyond their cushy pensions. Their pensions will be worth little if we experience an economic crash. History teaches us that crisis generates change, not thoughtful reflection.

    EDMOND DAY
    Rotterdam

http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00705&AppName=1